A 19-year-old male tests positive for a hepatitis C infection. He was arrested twice for stealing and he belongs to a gang of friends. Which of the following is the most likely method of transmission?

Intravenous drug use is the primary method of transmission of hepatitis C virus. Major transmission was from blood and blood products, but is now from needle sharing due to increasing screening of blood products. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an RNA-enveloped virus in the Flaviviridae family (other members: yellow fever, dengue, West Nile virus) and Hepacivirus genus. Ref: Ray C.G., Ryan K.J. (2010). Chapter 13. Hepatitis Viruses. In C.G. Ray, K.J. Ryan (Eds), Sherris Medical Microbiology, 5e.